GIN GIN-HERVEY BAY

5TH NOV. 2009

GIN GIN-HERVEY BAY (a little late for this posting)
5TH November and we were on our way again along the Dawson H’Way east via Biloela to Calliope and the Bruce H’Way south to Gin Gin. A distance of 329klms. Rest area 119 2klms nth of Gin Gin we decided to stay 2 nights. As it was a little quiet, not many travellers, we thought going over the 20hr. limit would be ok. As we were due to visit a friend in Mundubbera on the 14th, which was not far away, we decided to visit other friends, Carol & Len in Bunderberg where we stayed for 3 nights. A visit to the markets is always good in Bundy, with lots of fresh produce. As it was 6 months since our last visit it was good to catch up with Carol & Len.
10th Nov. Left Bundy headed south to Childers then west on the Burnett H’Way which saw us travel through Biggenden, Ban Ban Springs to Gayndah. (159klms) Claude Wharton Weir, 3klms north of Gayndah, (#460) beside a lake where we stayed for 2 nights. Very relaxing, but only a small area to park up. I don’t think we would get in when times are busy. Because we were ahead of schedule by 2 days there was a rest area in Mundubbera, The Black Stump, where we stopped for a night. Was going to be a couple, but went into town and caught up with our friend Peggy who suggested we head out to her place the following morning. She has a lovely property ,“Bonnydoon”, on 30acres just outside of town where we were very comfortable for 4 nights. Like most of Queensland it is very dry and could do with lots of rain. Fortunately, on our 1st night a storm came through and produced a good downpour throughout the night. Follow-up rain is now needed as her dam is totally dry. Really enjoyed Peg’s company and had a lovely time. Thankyou Peg for the wonderful homemade quiche and mango, passionfruit cheesecake. D’Arcy’s mouth is still drooling.
17th Nov. And we were in Rainbow Bay at the Rainbow Waters Holiday Park. As we hadn’t been in a park for a couple of weeks the washing needed doing and the fridge needed a defrost so this was a good opportunity. Carlo Point is on the water, but the park is very sandy and lots of sandflies, which is a bit hard to take so after 3 nights there it was on to Tin Can Bay only a short distance (40klms.) We had a visit with some friends we made during our yachting trip across the top to Darwin, back in 1996, Jeanette & Don in their boat ‘White Rose’. Lovely to catch up after 13yrs although we had still kept in touch. As son Roger & partner, Helen now live in TCB we had dinner with them at the TCB Country Club. The Tin Can Bay Tourist Park was very lovely. It had been quite awhile since we had lovely green grass under our feet. It would have been good to be able stay a little longer, as the town has really improved since our last visit, maybe 12yrs. ago. Many new homes and improvements made along the foreshore. An outdoor gym has been added for the health conscious with walking tracks just about right around the town. Right up my alley....TCB also has quite good markets, although not a lot of fresh produce. We did a bike ride around the whole track on our arrival. If walking is on the agenda it is best done early. I found that about 5-5.30a.m. was the best before the sun is too high and hot.
After departing TCB on the 24th Nov. We stopped for 1 night only at rest area #138, Petrie Park on the Mary River. Situated 2klm. NW of Tiaro. There is toilets but no fresh drinking water. Limited space for big rigs also. Next day saw us back at the Pialba Caravan Park, Hervey Bay for 1 week. A good chance to catch up with daughter Kellie & husband Rory. Had a lovely night out to help celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary and also a friends birthday. Although we had a lovely site on the waterfront it was quite windy for our week there, so restricted any water activities. We just love the fact that it is easy for walking & bike riding along the Esplanade (7klms each way) to the Pier at Urangan, to which we done most days.
3rd December we left for the Sunshine Coast. Son, Darren is now living there at Buderim. We have a beautiful site, parked up next to his house, which overlooks a local lake inhabited with wild life, including swans, birds, ducks and the occasional pelican.
Here now till our departure on the 1st March 2010.
Till next posting........

LONGREACH-EMERALD

LONGREACH-EMERALD
After our few nights stopover in Winton it was time to head off towards Longreach, 180klms, Friday, 16th October. As we had visited there before many years ago, our plan was to just stay 1 night so we could visit the Qantas Museum and the 747 that is on display. Because we were too late for the last tour of the day booked the first one the next day before continuing our journey along the Capricorn Highway towards Emerald. Our stop for the night was rest area #338 Camps 5. after travelling 265klms for the day from Longreach through Barcaldine and Alpha. It was called the Belyando River Rest Area. We were the only van there, but it felt safe. It was the most beautiful stop as the sun went down and the traffic stoped flowing the quietness was deafening with millions of stars. The next morning we witnessed the most magnificent sunrise due to large fires in the Rockhampton district. Our only neighbours were the cows in the paddock.
After a trip of 145klms to Emerald we did a bit of shopping before heading south, 18klms to the Fairbairn Dam, Lake Maraboon. We stayed there back in June. This stop ended up being 2 wks. As the weather was warming up the redclaw crayfish were in abundance. As we had our Zodiac inflatable it was easier to place the pots and done really well. Were fortunate to have really good neighbours, Lorraine & Barry, and thoroughly enjoyed their company. They let us borrow a trailer so we could load the Zodiac on and drive down to the lake, which made it a lot easier for us. As well, on our arrival they presented us with a lovely feed of redclaw. Monday nights in the park is Sausage Sizzle night with a gold coin donation going to charity, Careflight. Because our lovely friend Tania Kernaghan had been to the park on the day we arrived, (yes, we did cross paths ) and left a CD & Poster for the boys to auction they raised $100, won by our friend Barry. The weather deteriorated in our 2nd week so we were unable to put our pots out, but when we were leaving Barry & Lorraine gave us a bucket full of frozen green redclaw, as they were semi-permanent they had plenty of time to catch more. Also, during our stay it was our 16th wedding anniversary and the park hosts, Geoff & Andy gave us dinner & wine in the restaurant, which was really appreciated. Thankyou guys.
Sunday 1st Nov. It was time to move, again to a place we had previously stopped at. 284klms to Moura along the Dawson Highway and just 7klms west of town is the Dawson River Rest Area. (430 Camps 5) Beside the river this park is beautiful. Facilities include toilets, showers (hot with a dollar coin) but no drinking water. Enjoyed it so much we stayed for 4 nights which included Melbourne Cup Day, our first away from home. Although we are not regular punters, Cup Day is the only time. As Moura was close by our bets were placed in the morning and the day enjoyed with the company of our neighbours in the park, Heather & Col, Alan & Jean. By the way, it is still hard to pick the winner. D’Arcy tried fishing in the river, but only managed to lose a few lures by getting snagged.
Till next post........

MT. ISA - WINTON

Winton photos are first. Still cannot get my printing to wrap around the photos.

MT. ISA-WINTON
Mt. Isa was a blessing to experience because it was the biggest town we had been in since leaving the Atherton Tablelands. I managed to get a haircut and shop at “Woollies”. Thought we were only going to stay a few days, but along with having the truck serviced and ordering new brake drums for the rig, it took longer. It was Wed. 7th Oct. and were told to expect the drums by Sat. but, to no avail. And still did not arrive till the following Tues. We did manage to get a good look around the district. Of course this is a mining community with a population of 22,000. It’s main financial base is the huge Mt. Isa Mine, the world’s largest single producer of copper, silver, lead and zinc. We were camped up in the Copper City Caravan Park and we had neighbours who also had a mechanical problem and took them 1 week just to get spark plugs for her jeep. Michele, her daughter Emily and their lovely lab. Shadow, kept us company also for a few days. They were moving to make a new home in Brisbane from Darwin. Thankyou, Michele and Emily it was a pleasure to meet you and we’re sure to keep in touch. Mt. Isa is also home to the biggest Irish Club in the world. Decided to check it out one night for dinner and was picked up by their courtesy bus. Last return bus for the evening is 12 midnight. Although we were home well and truly before that. The club is just amazing, most beautiful decor and so many different areas to meet all needs. Well worth a visit. Another really well appointed club in Mt. Isa is The Buffs Club who also provide a courtesy bus. Lake Moondarra is only a short distance from town and where the locals go to relax and picnic with boating and water sports. We took a picnic lunch just to check it out. What a beautiful spot. A truly oasis in the desert. After the new brake drums fitted we headed off on Wed. 14th Oct. at 6.00am. Stopped at a rest area the other side of Cloncurry for breakfast before 8.00am. then onto Winton via the Landsborough Highway, total distance 460klms for the day. Because we had a few stops we found the travelling quite comfortable.
The North Gregory Hotel in Winton has an area out the back for travellers where we stopped over for 2 nights. This is a free service, and as it was a little dusty around the van and quite hot, we patronised their hotel for dinner. Showers and toilets are available also for the travellers for those needing them. Winton’s population is 900 and the birthplace of “Waltzing Matilda” and our national airline, "Qantas". “The Waltzing Matilda Centre” is the only museum in the world dedicated to a song. We were so amazed at this place that it took us more than 3hrs to take it all in. Also, this is the first place that we were able to get a really good coffee, other than making our own. It has been put together really, really well. If you are interested in dinosaurs this is the place where you will find a lot of answers. Winton is one of Australia’s most concentrated areas of dinosaur finds, with Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways, the site of the world’s only recorded evidence of a dinosaur stampede. The Corfield and Fitzmaurice Building in town houses displays from the Australian Age of Dinosaurs fossil collection. Just behind the North Gregory Hotel is Arno’s Wall, over 10m long & 2m high in which everything can be found, including the kitchen sink.

LAWN HILL

LAWN HILL
1ST October and we left the rig at Normanton to travel to Lawn Hill National Park. It was a 200klm journey south to Burke & Wills Roadhouse then west for 148klms to Gregory Downs where we stopped and set up table & chairs under a shaded tree for lunch. The road thus far had been sealed, but the next 80klms was gravel before reaching our accommodation at Adel’s Grove for 2 nights. There are a few different accommodation choices there. If you were game enough, as many were to take their caravans along this track, the camping area was set amongst lots of trees and on the banks of the Lawn Hill Creek. There were onsite tents, which had small patios with table & chairs, and a few cabins, which was our choice. They consisted of 2 beds, air con, and power. Amenities were not far away, although the closest to us was a long drop and camp showers with large shower heads and all very clean. We preferred using these as to the modern ones a bit further away in the main office/restaurant/dining area. We opted for a dinner, bed & breakfast package which was the best deal for 2 nights. The meals were great.
For the first time for awhile we were able to use our kayaks. Access to the gorge was 10klms away, but we set off after breakfast to experience our paddling through the gorge. As it was in the morning the stillness was just beautiful and the light in all the right places. We had to paddle a certain distance before taking the kayaks out of the water and carrying them a short way before re-entering the water so we could carry on. At the end of the road, so to speak, we were able to have a swim in the cool water before our return. The whole distance was only approx. 6klm. return, but well worth it. We were told that the gorge is home to fresh water crocodiles, but do not bother you. Anyway, we didn’t see one, even though we were looking out for them.
As always we meet so many lovely people and we had the pleasure of one such family from Bowen join us for dinner one evening. Thank you to Steve, Kaye and son Clarke Mitchell for your company. The creek beside Adel’s Grove was used extensively for swimming and I also made use of the rapids as a spa. Needed to hold onto the rocks as it was so strong. Would recommend this for a stopover. As well, there was a camping ground at the gorge, where you have to obtain a permit. Adel’s Grove has a kayak service for hire there.
We decided to get away early for our return to Normanton, but 10mins.Into the trip we had a flat tyre. As it was early, around 8.00am the sun hadn’t become too harsh to change it. When we reached Gregory Downs, were able to find someone to mend the tyre so as we could have a spare. Along this stretch also we came across a road train with a load of huge tyres that had rolled over and was waiting for the recovery team to arrive. As Zinifex Century Mine is in the area, these tyres were destined for their large machinery. We were told that each tyre is worth approx. $30,000.00.
After being away for 3 days the rig had been invaded by Singapore Ants. Didn’t know what they were at that stage, but found that they get into the electricals. Found that out when we went to leave Normanton a few days later and had trouble with the slide out switches. Of course we didn’t know that was the cause at that stage. We continued our trip south to Cloncurry (289klms.) To cut a long story short, D’Arcy worked out that the switches were blocked with ants, so he proceeded to remove them and blow out with his compressor. It worked, but still had the problem of trying to remove these ants from everywhere. Have since learnt that these ants will even eat plastics and tents, so beware. I usually place talcum powder around all entry points into the rig, but this time before going away I forgot. Now it is the first thing I do when we pull up at a new spot. My washing machine is still not working properly, due to these ants.
After 1 night in Cloncurry we travelled west 120klms. to Mt. Isa.